Bangarappa lambasts Yeddy for neglecting Swine Flu
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
BANGALORE, Aug 13: What are the Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and Health Minister B Sriramulu doing when people of Karnataka are suffering from the Swine Flu, with the first death due to the H1N1 influenza from Bangalore and at least 100 confirmed cases being reported from the state?, the former chief minister S Bangarappa asked.
Addressing a news conference, Bangarappa, who lost against the chief minister’s son B Y Raghavendra from Shimoga lok sabha constituency in the recent parliamentary polls, was particularly harsh on Yeddyurappa.
``Both Yeddyurappa and Sriramulu are busy playing politics and even taking time for campaigning in the by-elections,’’ he said asking why the BJP government had ``not bothered to convene a single meeting to take stock of the situation and chalk out a comprehensive strategy to reassure the people.’’
The Congress leader said the Yeddyurappa regime was least concerned about the plight of the people even as a panic has been created in Bangalore and coastal and malnad regions, which are known to be more prone to cold, cough and fever during the monsoon season.
``The health and well-being of the people of the state seems to rank very low in the order of priorities for the BJP regime,’’ Bangarappa said.
Bangarappa said the state government was supremely complacent when the Centre had been taking a series of measures to contain the spread of the swine flu menace and even issuing comprehensive guidelines to the states.
``Where is the Health Minister? He does not seem to be attending even Cabinet meetings,’’ he said wondering whether Sriramulu was a minister only for Bellary.
Bangarappa also took the Yeddyurappa regime to task for failing to take steps on a war-footing when as many as 20 districts were facing drought conditions. The government had not taken any relief measures.
The plight of the people in the drought-hit districts would have been even more severe but for the generous assistance from the Centre under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS).
The Congress leader predicted that the bravado exhibited by BJP leaders in winning all the five seats in the August 18 by-elections from the state was totally unfounded. ``I am told we are doing well in Govindarajanagar, Kollegal and Chittapur,’’ he said adding: ``I won’t be surprised if the ruling party loses all the seats.’’